Bramble-bees and Others 



taining a dead larva, reduced by time to a 

 blackened, curled-up cylinder. There are 

 some whence the perfect insect was never able 

 to issue : the Chalicodoma wore herself out 

 in trying to pierce the ceiling of her chamber; 

 her strength failed her and she perished in 

 the attempt. Others again and very many 

 are occupied by ravagers, Leucospes and 

 Anthrax-flies, who will come out a good deal 

 later, in July, Altogether, the house is far 

 from having every room vacant; there are 

 nearly always a considerable number occupied 

 either by parasites that were still in the egg- 

 stage at the time when the Mason-bee was 

 at work or by damaged provisions, dried 

 grubs or Chalicodomae in the perfect state 

 who have died without being able to effect 

 their deliverance. 



Should all the rooms be available, a rare 

 occurrence, there still remains a method of 

 distinguishing between an ancient nest and a 

 recent one. The cocoon, as I have said, ad- 

 heres pretty closely to the walls; and the 

 mother does not always take away this rem- 

 nant, either because she is unable to do so, or 

 because she considers the removal unneces- 

 sary. Thus the base of the new cocoon is 



126 



